Puerto Rico has been facing one of the biggest disasters in its history. Hurricane Maria sliced through Puerto Rico, an island that is 100 by 35 miles long, and left disaster in its wake. Approximately 70% of the island is without electricity, leaving the Star Island dark during the night (previously 90%). Tensions are growing, and the people are restless. The help has been slow, but fortunately for Puerto Rico, a lot of artists took notice of this and stepped up.
One, in particular, is Lin-Manuel Miranda, the grandiose gentleman known for his Puerto Rican roots, hit Broadway musical Hamilton, and In The Heights, among other great works. Being the positive person Lin is, he immediately put himself to work and gathered up proud Puerto Ricans and latinx celebrities willing to help the cause. The result of this was a song that was released on Friday, October 6th at midnight.
Do yourself a favor and listen to the song right now if you haven’t! The artists that were gathered for this song were listed on Lin’s twitter a few nights before its release.
It’s appropriate to bring all these artists together because one way or another they share a relation to the island, and in this time when politics are playing a major part in the survival of the island, it’s comforting to know that we can always fall back on what makes Puerto Rico thrive: its culture. Not to brag, but some of the greatest and bravest people in history come from Puerto Rico! An island full of admirable traits and humble, hard-working people would be a valid reason as to why Lin-Manuel put himself to work so quickly for Puerto Rico and how all these artists agreed to be a part of it, no questions asked. As a result, we see the devotion and love for the island in every lyric because every lyric is the island.
Essentially, when you start the song, Lin-Manuel Miranda instructs with a haunting yet melodic and nostalgic tune featuring the island’s coquí. In these instructions, you can tell what the song’s purpose is. By listing the many towns of Puerto Rico from San Juan to Quebradillas to Ponce to Mayagüez and all around and so forth you have two options: say it loud and turn it into a song the way the artists do, or you can say the lyrics softly, listing the towns, and turn it into a prayer for all those affected by this disaster. A prayer to not only San Juan but to the rest of the island that is suffering, including its municipal islands of Culebra and Vieques. Nobody will feel forgotten in these hard times.
This is also taking from one of the most recognized and famous musicals, West Side Story, and its song “Maria”. Hurricane Maria will not be able to take down the towns of Puerto Rico. More so, the voices mix tremendously creating a great tune with the Puerto Rican rhythms. Also, we can’t forget the hip-hop essence that sneaks into the song in true Lin fashion.
If you were affected by hurricane Maria, know anyone going through hardships on the island, or wish to help the fellow U.S. Citizens of the island, please donate, help spread awareness, and/or buy the song. It’s available on iTunes. You can also stream it on Spotify! The song in less than a few hours reached the number 1 spot on iTunes, and the music video became one of the top trending videos on YouTube.